What the press said about La Périchole (February 2010)
See also What schools said about the matinée performance
Yet another triumph for Opera South
The Herald
Opera South are well known for introducing audiences to rarely performed operas. This year’s choice was Offenbach’s operetta, La Périchole. The story is set in 18th century Peru and concerns two impoverished street singers, La Périchole, and her partner, Piquillo, who are too poor to afford a marriage licence. Don Andrès, the Viceroy of Peru, is charmed by La Périchole and wishes to make her his mistress. After many intrigues and complications, including an escape from prison, the lovers are re-united. It is a story of love, poverty and power with many archetypal characters, such as lustful older men, impoverished lovers and drunk notaries.
The implausibility of the story allows plenty of scope for comedy which was revealed in Guy Davenport’s excellent new translation of the libretto and Ian Gledhill’s new dialogue.
Offenbach — one of the originators of the operetta form — was called The Mozart of the Champs Elysée, as his music is full of charm, grace and wit with delightful, lilting melodies. The score of La Périchole is rich in Spanish suggestions — boleros, seguidillas, galops, waltzes and marches and is one of Offenbach’s most magical creations. This was very much in evidence in Opera South’s brilliant production of this seldom performed work.
Opera South are renowned for introducing us to young, promising singers to take the main parts and in La Périchole, we were privileged to hear eight very talented young voices.
Among the strong cast of soloists, the two main protagonists stood out. Olivia Ray as La Périchole was superb. She has a crystal clear, bright mezzo-soprano voice and an innate sense of rhythm which, combined with excellent acting skills, made her a captivating player.
Her lover, Piquillo, sung by Philip O’Brien, was a real hero. With his matinée idol looks, athletic skills — especially in his tipsy waltz song — and light, bright tenor voice, he was dazzling and charming.
The three proprietesses of The Three Cousins tavern were enchanting. Lise Swayne, Claire McKenna and Helen Evora sang and acted with aplomb, clarity of diction and great enthusiasm.
Samuel Queen as the Governor of Peru was forthright, with a wonderful sense of timing, and Stuart Haycock’s cameo of Count Panatellas was most amusing. Dominic Barrand, the most experienced of the singers, portrayed the conniving Don Andrès in various disguises with assurance. His rich, mellifluous baritone voice is always a pleasure to hear.
The chorus were confident and alert with excellent diction, and they looked superb in Carol Stevenson’s colourful costumes.
The simple but effective set, designed by John Braithwaite, was dramatically lit by Kevin J Roach.
Tom Higgins’s reduced orchestration worked very well. He paced the work effectively and drew some superb playing from 21 members of the Guildford Philharmonic Orchestra, who gave sympathetic support to the singers.
So yet another triumph for Opera South, who always delight their capacity audiences with performances of a consistent high standard.
Ann Pinhey, The Herald
A Five Star Evening
With La Périchole Opera South attained a new height of excellence. They simply got it totally right and presented us lucky viewers with a little masterpiece.
For a start the choice of Offenbach's La Périchole was a fortunate one. This operetta, set in far-flung Peru, is stuffed brimful with tuneful melodies, giving its talented protagonists wonderful scope for vocal bravado and excellent movement, culminating in the exciting bolero.
Anna Netrebkova watch out! - because Olivia Ray displays the same level of accomplishment as a singer, dancer and actress!
The orchestra was very well balanced. Tom Higgins is a conductor who obviously inspires his players to give of their best. I have attended some good productions of his in the past, but with Offenbach he has shown his profound understanding of the genre not as a poor relation of opera but as great art in its own right. Mozart would surely have enjoyed it.
Everything contributed to making Opera South's La Périchole a model of what can be achieved by dedicated people. There was no lifeless standing around
by menbers of the chorus as in the opera in Rome where they will only move for extra pay - as I noted when I saw Rossini's La Cenerentola (Cinderella).
A five-star evening!
Liesl Johnson
Ian Gledhill’s production, in John Braithwaite’s stylish designs, reflected the score’s animation and drew vivid performances from the cast, colourfully costumed by Carol Stevenson.